Overseen by Peter Saltamaras, Co-Founder and COO of Lanara · Last reviewed 15 October 2026

Lanara provides psychology-informed NDIS support for autistic adults across Sydney. We support self-managed and plan-managed NDIS participants, as well as private clients.

Is autism covered by the NDIS?

Autism can be covered by the NDIS. The NDIA decides, and it looks at your impairment and its effect on daily life, not just your diagnosis.

To meet the disability requirements, your impairment must be, or be likely to be, permanent. It must also substantially reduce your ability to do everyday activities, such as communicating, socialising, learning, looking after yourself or managing your life.

The NDIA usually considers autism under the neurological impairment category, because autism affects the way the brain processes information. Autism is not a psychosocial disability. If you also live with a mental health condition, such as anxiety or depression, the NDIA can consider that impairment as well.

What the NDIA’s lists say about autism

The NDIA’s Applying to the NDIS guideline includes List A: conditions that are likely to meet the disability requirements. It includes autism assessed under current DSM criteria as Level 2 (requiring substantial support) or Level 3 (requiring very substantial support). The diagnosis must come from a specialist multidisciplinary team, paediatrician, psychiatrist or clinical psychologist experienced in autism assessment.

If you give evidence of a List A diagnosis, the NDIA says it will likely decide you meet the disability requirements. Likely is not certain, and the NDIA still makes the decision.

Autism that doesn’t meet the List A criteria, including Level 1, sits on List B. These are conditions likely to result in a permanent impairment. You will still need evidence that autism substantially reduces your functional capacity day to day.

The NDIA’s examples of disability evidence for autism include the DSM-5 diagnosis and functional assessments such as the Vineland-III or WHODAS 2.0. Amaze’s Autism Connect advisors on 1300 308 699 can also explain applying to the NDIS.

From January 2028, eligibility for new applicants will be decided using a new standardised assessment of functional capacity. See the NDIA’s eligibility checklist.

How autism can affect daily life

Autism is lifelong, and every autistic person is different, with their own strengths. The hard part is often a world that isn’t set up for the way they sense and process things.

  • Busy shops, bright lights or crowded trains can be overwhelming, so errands get put off.
  • An unexpected change, like a cancelled appointment or a new route, can throw out a whole day.
  • Phone calls, forms and booking appointments can take a lot of energy.
  • Cooking, cleaning and keeping on top of mail can slip, especially alongside work or study.
  • Social situations can be tiring or confusing, even when you want connection.
  • Starting a new job, course or group can feel like a very big step.

Many autistic adults also live with anxiety or depression. In one Autism CRC study of 255 autistic people, more than a third reported clinically significant anxiety (38.4%) or depression (38%). Our page on support for anxiety explains how we help.

How much support someone needs can change with stress, life events and change. A harder month doesn’t undo progress.

How our support can help

Our support is not about making anyone act less autistic. It is about making daily life work better on your terms, and respecting the way you communicate.

Every Lanara support worker holds a university degree in psychology or a related discipline, and has completed mental health and trauma-informed training. That background helps with communication, routines, confidence and anxiety, which often matter alongside autism. We don’t provide therapy or behaviour support.

We match carefully and aim for the same support worker each time. Fewer new faces means fewer surprises. Tell us how you prefer to communicate, whether that’s text, email or talking, and we’ll work that way.

  • Psychosocial support: building routines that suit you, planning ahead for changes, breaking big tasks into steps, and working towards study or work goals.
  • Social and community participation: activities you choose, like a walk, a hobby group or a familiar café, at quieter times if that helps.
  • Daily living assistance: planning a shop, writing a list, cooking, keeping the home in order, and getting to appointments.

Your worker can also help you plan around sensory needs. That might mean choosing quieter times, bringing headphones, or agreeing on a plan for leaving early if a place gets too much.

An example: Tom’s week in Ashfield

Example from our work. Names and details are changed to protect people’s privacy.

Tom is 29 and lives in Ashfield. He was diagnosed as an adult and works part time. By the weekend he is worn out, and shopping, meals and appointments slide. Saturday supermarkets feel too loud and bright, so he often skips the shop.

His goals are to keep his week on track and to try a board game group he read about.

His support worker began by asking how Tom likes to communicate. They agreed on a text the day before each session and a short written plan.

Together they built a simple routine: a quiet Tuesday evening shop with a list written at home, and a Sunday cook-up. Any changes to sessions are flagged early.

A few months on, Tom does the Tuesday shop on his own. They have visited the game café twice at quiet times to look around. Tom plans to try a group night with his worker there, then decide whether to keep going alone.

Working alongside your treating team

Lanara is not a clinical service. We don’t diagnose autism or provide therapy, and our support workers are not psychologists, even though they hold psychology degrees.

We work alongside your GP, psychiatrist, psychologist, occupational therapist, speech pathologist and support coordinator. With your consent, our team can share what your support worker sees day to day.

If your occupational therapist suggests a visual planner or a sensory plan, your worker can help you use it day to day.

Getting started

  1. Call us on 1300 152 627 or contact us online.
  2. We send you an intake form and a service agreement.
  3. We match you with a support worker. This usually takes between 3 days and 2 weeks.
  4. Your meet-and-greet is your first session. It lasts at least 2 hours and is paid like any other session.
  5. Regular sessions begin, ideally with the same worker each time.

We support adults across six areas of Sydney, including the Inner West and Canterbury-Bankstown. We support self-managed and plan-managed NDIS participants, as well as private clients. We can’t support NDIA-managed plans.

Frequently asked questions

Q: Is autism covered by the NDIS for adults?

A: It can be. You need to apply before you turn 65, and the NDIA decides. Autism at Level 2 or 3 is on the NDIA’s list of conditions likely to meet the disability requirements. Otherwise, you’ll need evidence of how autism substantially affects your daily life.

Q: Can I get NDIS support if I was diagnosed as an adult?

A: Yes. The NDIA’s disability requirements are the same for everyone who applies. Adults are usually diagnosed by a psychiatrist or psychologist and given a level from 1 to 3. Reports on how autism affects your daily life help.

Q: Is autism a psychosocial disability?

A: No. The NDIA usually considers autism under the neurological category. Psychosocial disability relates to mental health. If you also live with anxiety or depression that affects daily life, that can be considered too. Our guide to psychosocial disability explains more.

Q: Will my support worker understand my sensory needs?

A: Tell us about them when you first contact us, and we’ll keep them in mind when matching. Your worker can plan sessions around places, times, noise and how you like to communicate. You know your needs best, so we follow your lead.

If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, call 000. For urgent mental health advice, call the NSW Mental Health Line on 1800 011 511 (24 hours, 7 days) or Lifeline on 13 11 14.

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